Darting around

Namira, known and feared as the Witch-Queen of Ohndir, entered in retreat, her private quarters, the castle Bower. She was adorned in a furs, which lay over her shoulders. She was dressed in a long, green gown fit for a noblewoman, but she kept her hair down in its natural waviness. Once she entered, she had realized that one of the castle's maids had found their way into her chambers. This upset her greatly, everyone knew that only her loyal handmaidens and her son were permitted to enter. "What are you up to, maid?" She questioned the woman dusting off her dresser, wardrobe and basically everything in the room. "I demand you answer me." She gave her one last chance to answer her, otherwise she'd simply suspect she was a spy and could very easily have her killed.

Canelyn had been sparring with a few of his guardsmen, giving them advice where it was due as well as compliments. "Don't hesitate. I am your King, but are there not other Kings out there who would quite simply execute you or their men butcher you?" He gave the guardsman a stern look. "Now, again." This time when he struck, Canelyn could feel he had put more muscle into the blow, and the soldier was even able to follow-up with equally heavy strikes. Canelyn was impressed. "As agile as you are strong. A formidable foe." He smiled, and it made the soldier proud to be in service of such a worthy King. "Continue your drills." He turned around and headed in the direction of the bailey. For once he wanted to sit down, and enjoy the breeze.

Namira was amused by the bewildered girl set out humbly before her. She smiled, but it wasn't one with happiness in its roots, for many in Adregon and Galeth's ancient past, that smile was sinister and intimidating, a harbinger of their demise. This girl didn't know better, she was obviously a poorly educated and typical maid in the castle, that didn't do her homework before tending to her duties. "Hmm... There is something about you, child." She stepped a few feet closer. "You wreak of magic and who knows what else..." This girl wasn't as simple as Namira thought she'd be. "You are new here, yes? Otherwise I would've noticed your 'presence'." A curse had been placed on the maid... An unusually powerful one. Few dark witches and/or warlocks could've mustered up something so powerful, its origins were from the world-beyond. "Well... Speak, girl." She waited for the maid to respond, but she had very little patience for demon-children.

Now she was close enough to the girl to cast an enchantment, but she decided against it... Mainly because she knew very little about the nature of such a powerful curse. "Of course you don't child... Of course you don't." She smiled once more. "Perhaps it wasn't you, but I know very well that you've become more than Human." She winced her eyes to more sharply identify whatever it was she was dealing with. "A hexmark. An intricate one." She didn't even need an incantation to enchant her vision so that she could the magical energies; it was a testament of her mastery over the arcane. "I know you're troubled, girl. You needn't hide your secret from me." She placed her hand on the young maid's shoulder. "It's a fight you cannot win. Only one with knowledge in the black arts can help control your curse, whatever it may be... And you clearly have no knowledge of magic." She removed her hand from the girl's shoulder. "Know that I'll always have a presence in the castle... And that this is my personal chamber." She paused. "Seek me out when you're troubled. Perhaps I can help." The Witch-Queen helping? She was always up to something. All of Theyla knew it.

Canelyn intended to visit his mother in the Bower to inform her that the revitalization potion she had devised earlier worked well on the men who drank it. On his way there, a servant had clumsily slipped forward, knocking Canelyn down beneath her. The four guards escorting Canelyn were appalled by the maid's tenacity as she fell on top of their King. She got up quickly, fearing the worst possible outcome. Canelyn got up as well, brushing off his tabard and black sleeves. "Well, someone is rather jumpy." He paused. "Might I ask why?" It was almost as if she had just got back from seeing something far from Human. Canelyn wondered if perhaps magic was at work within the castle.

The girl was frightened to death. It was almost as if she had committed some hidden injustices and is ready and willing to suffer the consequences for her actions. Canelyn didn't quite know what went on in the young maid's head, she was altogether a mystery, and something about her fascinated Canelyn. She wasn't just an everyday servant tending to her duties, there was something worth hiding to her, and he didn't know what that something was. "...It's almost as if you've seen a ghost." He approached her more closely. "I hope you wouldn't hide anything from me that you might know of. I'd like to know if the castle that serves as a beacon for everyone in the Kingdom is in jeopardy." He could tell she had been getting tense. He looked ahead, and noticed that she probably came from her mother's chamber. "Perhaps you met my mother." The guards looked back at one another, exchanging glances. "She has her... moments." He remarked, trying to ease the girl's mind. The defenders and keepers of Castle Adregon knew just how scary Namira lor Adregon could be.

The girl had been getting ever more nervous. It was odd. She quickly ended their little encounter, and walked off in the opposite direction. Canelyn continued walking in the direction of his mother's chamber, the Bower, but as he got further away he began to feel a very eery demeanor behind him. Before he could fully turn around, two guardsmen had jumped in the way of their King, and his other two escorts, blocking the King using an 'X' formation with each of their halberds. They didn't have the time to react, and what appeared to be a werewolf slashed and hacked away at the two guardsmen with its claws, easily tearing through their plated iron armor. The two guardsmen pushed Canelyn a few ways forward using all their strength, and Canelyn crawled his way inside one of the private quarters nearest to him. He could hear his men being ravaged by a bestial wolf-man... Or woman. He didn't quite know, and at the moment he didn't quite care.

Outside, he could hear the werewolf eating the flesh of the men with him, snarling as though enjoying the scent and taste of fresh blood in its mouth. The scene would've been highly disturbing if Canelyn witnessed it for himself, but he was in shock. Ill-equipped, he had chainmail under the purple and gold tabard he normally wore. He shut his eyes, and began taking deep breaths. He was the King of Adregon, and would willingly die for its people... Or would he? He was ambitious, and a man with a future ahead of him. No he had Cymwyseddau, he was also a skilled fighter; perhaps the best in the Kingdom. He stood a chance, he just needed to think. The beast had power and agility whereas Canelyn had his cunning. There was always a way to combat a foe. This werewolf was one among many who had fallen to Canelyn's blade, and it wouldn't be his last if need be.

He stepped out of his hiding place inside one of the private quarters, and made his way in the corridor, blocking the werewolf from all the lives beyond, among them, his own mother. The King readily drew his glistening, golden blade from its scabbard. He wouldn't back down, even if it costs him his life. He too had a hidden power, one that would reveal itself as it had once already in the past. There was a chance.

Canelyn noticed how much blood had been spilled already. It wasn't just the four guardsmen that had been escorting him, but servants as well simply passing through unaware of the doom lying ahead of them. This angered Canelyn, but he kept his cool. When he actually looked into the werewolf's eyes, he could see that beneath it all was the clumsy maid he had taken in not too long ago. Magic was at work. Of course it was. Magic was the source of the majority's problems. Canelyn knew that all too well.

He wasn't given a chance when the werewolf prowled its way on top of him, attempting to bite at his flesh with its powerful jaws. Canelyn shoved his sword's blade horizontally against the werewolfs mouth, holding it back with all of his strength. Fortunately he had an exceptionally powerful sword at his disposal. Grinding his teeth, he used both of his booted feet to shove the werewolf off of him, enough to flip backward, and return to his battle-ready position. He couldn't simply run past the man-beast set out before him, so, he had to be creative with how he'd fight the monster.

Looking along him, the walls were smooth enough to run against with his black, leather boots. He jumped to the side, and began running along the wall as though he were superhuman. When he was within range, which it didn't take him long to be, he jumped at the werewolf from its side with the blade pointed in the beasts direction. Hopefully he just took advantage of an opening within its defense, and it wouldn't end up backfiring.

Canelyn landed a hit, but so did the werewolf. It struck at him as swiftly as he struck at it, but more wildly. His tabard was torn a part, as well as the chainmail beneath it... And not to mention his flesh. The beasts claws were marked on Canelyn with blood. The beast's impact knocked him to the side, and he hit the wall behind its position. It wasn't yet over, Canelyn could tell. No, Canelyn saw a brand new fire burning within the beast, and once it roared, more bloodlust followed. It charged at him. If Canelyn didn't get out of the way, he'd be slaughtered and devoured by the monster of legend. Nonetheless, his adrenaline had kicked in. He ran up the wall, and jumped right off of it, over the beasts position, cutting down a chandelier, which came crashing down on the iron with all its weight. Canelyn landed on the other side, the beast was no longer facing his direction.

Not too far off, Canelyn could finally hear a squad of the royal army rushing to the fourth floor of the grand castle. Canelyn esitmated about a dozen guardsmen, divided in two, coming from two different directions. They intended to surround whatever was endangering Canelyn and the others who were tending to their business on this level of the castle. Canelyn swung his body around, facing the beast. Shortly afterward, six soldiers readied themselves for battle alongside their King, while the other six closed in on the beast they were closest to. "Despite its size, it has steadfast reflexes. It's as though it was placed on this Earth to terrorize the lives of others." Canelyn didn't realize it but he was bleeding as much as he had been sweating. This was no ordinary foe, clever tricks and ploys would have to be used to overcome it.

Namira could hear all the chaos outside of the Bower, not too far off from it. She smirked, knowing all too well that the humble servant-girl had turned into a ravaging beast. It was inevitable, and would truly put her son to the test. Perhaps she'd intervene if she found it necessary, but from what she could understand, the fight was far from over.

Half of the squad of royal army soldiers were defeated rather easily. Two of the six managed to get around the werewolf and into the other half of the squad. The werewolf wasn't at all satisfied; it didn't appear as though it'd ever give up. All eight men and Canelyn readied themselves. "Throw your javelins!" Two of the eight men flung light spears in the direction of the oncoming werewolf, it would've run right into at least one of them since the corridor wasn't necessarily spacious. Three of them had their pikes ready, and pointed outward, so that if the werewolf wasn't stopped by one or two javelins it'd be running right into a row of edged steel. The three who were swordsmen, readied their shields, and surrounded their King. The shields were made of iron, and would bide some time for them to get a few hits in. They were ready to sacrifice themselves for their King, that was certain.

It was cut very lightly by the javelins flung at it, and simply jumped over the Pikemen, and struck fast and hard on their position. It then struck down the spearmen who were unarmored, and likely dead at this point. Afterward, it charged at the men with shields and began bashing them heavily with its fists. The swordsmen hit back at the werewolf with their shields, and were trying to do enough damage to it to at least have it fall back. It persisted, and growled. Clearly it was unsatisfied, and would never be satisfied until it killed the one man it was most interested in: Canelyn. Canelyn could throw as many as his men at the werewolf, but it would never stop. It was seeking a challenge, and Canelyn's men simply didn't match its standards. No, only the King himself would quench its hunger.

"Enough!" Canelyn let out a fierce roar of his own, shoving the swordsmen to the side, and leaping upward at the monster hovering over his men. He struck at the beast head-on with his longsword, Cymyseddau using all his nigh superhuman might, brought on by the adrenaline pulsing through his very veins, or so it felt. He looked straight into the beasts eyes, and grinded his teeth. He wasn't interested in outsmarting the beast, at this point, he wanted to kill it. His soldiers knew to back out, and let the King do his work.

Canelyn landed a heaving blow. His blade pierced the monster's shoulder, but in return, he was bit into range of the werewolf's mighty smack across his upper-body. He could feel the immense pressure from taking a blow head-on, his ribs were probably broken but he wouldn't feel the pain until he woke up in the castle's infirmary; assuming he'd survive the duel. The men still within the area tended to the King. Half of them with their weapons drawn. At this point the castle bells rang. Soldiers, vast in number would rally about the castle grounds. Their King was in mortal danger.

Namira heard the bells sound. She wondered why in the world it took them so long to realize an enemy had breached their walls and far beyond the King's doorstep. Her son was dying, she knew; a mother's intuition. She decided to act, no longer trusting in her son's ability to overcome the demon pinned up against him. Hopefully he at least left a mark on the monster, otherwise, her son would have a lot of training to do. When she exited the Bower, and approached her son and the werewolf, the men around Canelyn stepped aside. They were in awe at the sight of his mother. She was dressed in her usual green gown, with furs for an added, authoritative effect. She eyed the werewolf, a few yards away from it. She recognized her son's sword plunged into the beast, and how it was greatly weakened. She stretched out her arm, and in a powerful tone of voice she spoke, "Jein harr andros!" A white, transparent barrier was projected from Namira's hand and it blocked the creature from reaching Canelyn's lain position.

"Take him to the infirmary. It won't be long until the child is brought back into this plane." They didn't quite understand, but they carried Canelyn in the direction of the stairway, which would lead him to the infirmary. He needed medical attention right away. More guardsmen arrived at the scene. The werewolf wouldn't survive another wave of attacks from the Royal Army. "No, leave her." She demanded. The wave on the other side of the barrier turned around. "Make sure the infirmary is well-defended, and only allow for nurses and the physicians to enter. Any assassin would love to take advantage of killing my son in his moment of weakness." They understood completely, leaving the werewolf and Canelyn's mother alone in the corridor. "Andros nos troue!" She spoke in the magical tongue once more, and another barrier blocked the other side of the werewolf. It was completely trapped in her grasp.

Canelyn was carried to the castle's infirmary. The Kingdom's best physicians and many of the castle's nurses tended to the King's wounds. The injuries were life-threatening, he would've died if he didn't get immediate attention. The medics were grateful that he was still breathing. The King must've fought heroically. He had a few broken bones, and deep cuts all throughout his body. Fortunately for him his body was a lot more adaptable to serious amounts of pain. "We're going to need some healers." The physician said. He must've originated from a Kingdom beyond Adregon, since magic was outlawed by the King and his court. "Are there any healers within the Circle of Magi?" The nurses looked amongst themselves. They had no idea. "Send for one!" One of the court physicians demanded. A couple of servants had run off in the direction of Arcannan. "...What of the beast?" Canelyn muttered. They were shocked he still had the strength to speak. "Your mother has dealt with that problem." One of the nurses replied. And then Canelyn gave in to the pain, passing out shortly thereafter.

When the young girl had passed out and lost all of her accursed power, Namira ordered two of her handmaidens to carry the body of the young girl to her chamber. They did as they were asked. Namira didn't intend for the girl to be taken by the royal army and duly executed for her actions; attempting to murder the King of Adregon, and the utilization of magic. "Bring me some whistenroot and cavul grounds." She ordered two of her handmaidens. "Have either of you been practicing the basics of Protectum?" The handmaidens looked amongst themselves. They didn't want to admit that they couldn't quite grasp it. "...Foolish children. Tend to this girl's wounds to the best of your ability. Her left arm is almost completely severed. I need to brew up a potion, and then I'll heal her using what knowledge I have of Protectum." She explained. They nodded.

The two handmaidens reported back to Namira with the herbs she asked for. "Good, make sure we remain uninterrupted. Do as you see fit to keep the guards away from the Bower." They nodded and patrolled the corridor outside of the bower. She began working at her alchemy lab. "What sort of potion are you brewing, milady?" One of the handmaidens asked. "I am busy." She remarked. Eventually she concocted the potion, and using a little vial, she poured the liquid over the young girl's arm. "Her bone should repair more quickly, and she'll be unable to feel pain for the next couple of hours." She would be able to rest for a longer period of time this way. "Now the eight of you are dismissed. I will use what knowledge I have of Protectum to heal the girl. She'll have nothing but a scar on her." They nodded all at the same time, and turned around, finding their way out of the Bower.